Goss’ Garage

Pat Goss, MotorWeek's resident master technician, helps consumers understand car problems and how to speak the same language as their technician. As cars becoming increasingly complex, fewer repairs can be accomplished at home. Effective communication with a repair shop is vital to keeping consumer and operating costs under control. From rattles and squeaks to leaks and drips, Pat covers a myriad of issues designed to keep cars on the road and out of the repair shop.

Although they're one of the most important parts of any brake system, the brake rotors seem to be a true mystery to most people. See they don't know what constitutes a good rotor or a bad rotor and when to replace and so on. Well brake rotors should be checked every time the brake pads are checked. And that means you're going to be doing it every twelve… Read More

What do you do when the spark is missing? Pat Goss has do-it-yourself advice on figuring out what's wrong under the hood when the check engine light goes on, starting with checking out the spark plugs and the ignition coils.
If you're a do-it-yourselfer, you're probably going to learn to hate check engine lights. But you're probably going to have some basic … Read More

Timing belts have a limited life span, so it's important to change them at the right time. So what's the recommended change interval? Well, consult the owner's manual for your particular vehicle. Pat Goss has more on when it's time to change the timing belt.
If you own a car with a timing belt, it is imperative that you change it according to the manufacturer's… Read More

Don't wait until a rainy day or when you find yourself on a dimly lit road to remember the importance of properly maintaining your windshield wiper blades and headlights. Dust, bugs and weather can wear down wiper blades, while the sun can damage headlights, leaving you with an unclear view of the road. Pat Goss shows you get how to more life out of your wiper… Read More

If you're a parent, maintaining a car requires more than just keeping up with oil changes and regularly checking your tire pressure. It means making sure that the safety seat is correctly installed and properly maintained. And to give us some pointers, we have Tracy Whitman. She is coordinator for Kids in Safety Seats. What are some of the basics parents need… Read More

Pat Goss shows you how to take the dings out of your wheels without putting a huge dent in your wallet.... Over the years tires and wheels on cars have changed dramatically, and so have the problems associated with them and the ways to repair them. To talk about the wheels, we have Rob Wheely of Alloy Wheel repair specialists to share how they fix wheels. … Read More

Cars have changed; the tools we use to fix them have changed. Hand tools like wrenches and screwdrivers are being replaced by code scanners or code readers used to troublshoot and diagnose problems. These scanners used to be very expensive, and out of the price range of the average consumer. But as technology has progressed, prices have dropped. Pat has some… Read More

Fixing things on your own car, do it yourself, well it can be very rewarding and you can save a lot of money by doing it. But, there are a lot of ways to get hurt. So there are some safety precautions that you always have to follow. Number one, a lot of late model cars have key fobs like this. They have this little design on it, and that design tells us … Read More

Riding a motorcycle is great fun, even on those days when the weather is not exactly ideal. Some enthusiasts actually like to ride when it's chilly, or just plain damp and cold. But, one of the most important parts of riding, particularly when temperatures are low, is to protect your body. Heated hand grips and heated gloves have been around for years. So have… Read More

There are all sorts of handy gadgets out there for the automotive do-it-yourselfer and car enthusiast. Pat Goss has some pretty cool products to share that are practical and clever. He's got the latest and greatest... products that do everything from a wrench that has all sizes covered, to an all-purpose scraper, to a neat little invention that keeps stuff from… Read More